All Songs Considered

New Music Friday: The best albums out Sept. 26

September 26, 2025

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  • The episode of *All Songs Considered*, "New Music Friday: The best albums out Sept. 26," featured guest Evan Miller from WYSO to review new releases, including albums from Neko Case, Jeff Tweedy, Robert Plant, Amanda Shires, and Cate Le Bon. 
  • Neko Case's new album, *Neon Gray Midnight Green*, is highlighted as her first self-produced record, showcasing her continued evolution across genres. 
  • Amanda Shires' album *Nobody's Girl* is described as an unsparing and difficult listen, directly documenting the emotional rawness of her recent divorce from Jason Isbel. 

Segments

Show Introduction and Guest Welcome
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(00:00:24)
  • Key Takeaway: Lars Gottrich is subbing for Stephen Thompson on this New Music Friday episode, joined by Evan Miller of WYSO.
  • Summary: Lars Gottrich opens the All Songs Considered episode, “New Music Friday: The best albums out Sept. 26,” while filling in for the regular host. He welcomes guest Evan Miller from WYSO in Ohio to discuss the new music releases for September 26th. The hosts briefly discuss the arrival of fall weather in Ohio before moving into album reviews.
Reviewing Neko Case’s New Album
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(00:02:32)
  • Key Takeaway: Neko Case’s Neon Gray Midnight Green is her first album in eight years and the first she has entirely produced herself.
  • Summary: The hosts analyze Neko Case’s new album, Neon Gray Midnight Green, noting its earthy, lived-in sound achieved through self-production. Evan Miller compared the track “Tomboy Gold” to Scott Walker, appreciating Case’s ability to evoke strong feelings through evocative, non-explicit lyrics. The discussion also noted her memoir released earlier in the year as relevant context for her songwriting.
Analyzing Jeff Tweedy’s Triple Album
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(00:06:53)
  • Key Takeaway: Jeff Tweedy’s Twilight Override is a massive, nearly two-hour triple album that blurs the line between his solo work and Wilco’s sound.
  • Summary: Jeff Tweedy’s new solo release, Twilight Override, spans 30 songs and runs nearly two hours, prompting discussion on its sheer length. The hosts debated the distinction between his solo material and Wilco, noting that songs like “Mirror” feature stranger textures reminiscent of Wilco’s Yankee Hotel Foxtrot era. The song “New Orleans” was highlighted for its poignant connection to the recent passing of Steve Albini.
Guest Introduction and Station Details
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(00:15:11)
  • Key Takeaway: Evan Miller serves as Assistant Music Director for WYSO and its sister music channel, Novaphonic.fm, which features diverse local programming.
  • Summary: Evan Miller detailed his role at WYSO, which operates as a mixed-format station founded in 1958, covering news, storytelling, preservation, and music. WYSO hosts 17 locally produced shows covering genres like blues, hip-hop, jazz, and Cajun music. Miller also helps manage Novaphonic.fm, a sister music channel launched the previous November.
Reviewing Robert Plant’s ‘Saving Grace’
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(00:16:38)
  • Key Takeaway: Robert Plant’s album Saving Grace continues his career focus on interpreting and curating American traditional and blues music with his band of the same name.
  • Summary: Robert Plant’s new project, Saving Grace, features the band of the same name and focuses on American blues and traditional music, following the trajectory set by his work with Alison Krauss. The band is noted for stretching traditional songs, such as their version of a Low song which incorporates Persian instruments. Plant is increasingly willing to step back vocally, acting as the band leader rather than the sole defining presence.
Amanda Shires’ Heartbreak Album
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(00:22:00)
  • Key Takeaway: Amanda Shires’ Nobody’s Girl is an emotionally raw and unsparing documentation of her divorce from Jason Isbel, contrasting with his own recent album on the subject.
  • Summary: Amanda Shires’ Nobody’s Girl directly addresses the struggles of marriage and the subsequent divorce, making it a tough listen for the hosts. The album is musically restrained, leaning heavily on ballads, though tracks like “Lose It for a While” feature explosive, psychedelic moments. The lyric, “I thought about your mother. I hope she knew I loved her,” highlights the complex ripple effects of ending a relationship.
Cate Le Bon’s Oblique Approach
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(00:30:52)
  • Key Takeaway: Cate Le Bon’s seventh album, Michelangelo Dying, handles heartbreak obliquely, using abstract lyricism and saxophone as a secondary voice.
  • Summary: Cate Le Bon’s Michelangelo Dying presents heartbreak in a more oblique, abstract manner compared to Amanda Shires’ direct approach. This album marks a shift for the Welsh artist, as she tackled deeply personal subject matter after a decade-long relationship ended. The saxophone often acts as an additional voice when Le Bon is unwilling or unable to sing the direct emotion.
Lightning Round Recommendations
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(00:36:16)
  • Key Takeaway: Notable quick recommendations included Josie’s short Danish pop, Bitchin Bajas’ krautrock, M. Sage’s ambient jazz, Geese’s unique rock, and Lady Wray’s gospel-tinged R&B.
  • Summary: The lightning round covered several diverse releases from September 26th. Josie’s A Life of Sweets Alone offers short, raucous Danish tweet pop, while Bitchin Bajas’ Inland Sea delivers fantastic American krautrock, featuring members who also played on the new Stereolab record. M. Sage’s Tender Waiting is inspired by parenthood, and Lady Wray’s CoverGirl leans into her powerful gospel roots.
Favorite Song Discoveries
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(00:41:09)
  • Key Takeaway: Evan Miller’s favorite discovery was Robert Plant’s rearrangement of the Lowe Anthem song “Ticket Taker,” while Lars Gottrich favored the instrumental meaning in Jeff Tweedy’s “New Orleans.”
  • Summary: Evan Miller highlighted the captivating rearrangement of the sparse Leonard Cohen-esque original “Ticket Taker” by Robert Plant and Saving Grace. Lars Gottrich chose Jeff Tweedy’s “New Orleans,” appreciating how the guitars conveyed meaning in the middle of the track without explicit lyrical explanation. The show concluded with credits and a preview of the next week’s guest.